First Interview Letter Sample

It’s tempting to assume that throngs of eager, quality jobseekers would start lining up to apply to your openings the second they’re posted. Similarly, who could blame you for thinking that interviewees would tirelessly prepare and undoubtedly show up for your in-person or virtual meeting.

The right letter can attract the best candidates on the market and generate excitement and enthusiasm about your company and your open position. The wrong letter can alienate talented candidates or turn them off. Use this first interview letter sample to guide your path as you format, draft, and edit your letter.

Do note, this first interview letter sample may not contain every detail relevant to your specific situation, so you can adapt this text as you choose. But start with this basic guideline and use it as a model.

You’ll notice that this message can be broken down into three distinct sections: 1) an encouraging greeting, 2) a substantive statement regarding your interview plans, and 3) a shared resource where your reader can find more information.

No matter how you adjust this model to suit your own purposes, these three elements will need to play a role.

First Interview Letter Sample

Greg Styles

HR Manager

Quality Business Co, LTD

28 Action Circle

Workton, PA 29837

Annabelle Bumble

389 South Lane

Busyville, WA 96736

Dear Annabelle Bumble,

Thank you for submitting your resume for our Junior Account Manager position here at Quality Business Co.! We’re impressed with your credentials and we believe your interests and qualifications may align well with the needs of the position and the larger goals of our Quality Outreach Division.

We’d like to invite you to meet with our hiring team this week to find out more about your background. Might you be available to attend an interview session with me and some of our associate staffing managers on Wednesday, March 5th at 2:00 PM EST in our downtown office?

If you’re not available at this time, we’re also happy to meet with you on Thursday at 10:00 AM EST at the same location.

Please reach out to me by phone or email using the contact information below and we will confirm your interest and establish an interview appointment at that point.

Here at Quality Business Co., we’re proud of our growing success and expanding market presence in the region. If you share our passion for quality business, we’d love to hear from you!

Respectfully,

Greg Styles

HR Manager

Quality Business Co. LTD

Gstyles@qualbiz.com

283-298-6374

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As you review this first interview letter sample, you’ll notice that it accomplishes a few simple goals: this sample letter makes the reader feel appreciated and valued, and it extends the interview request as a polite invitation, not a command.

The first interview letter sample also implies a few things about the applicant, facts that probably apply to every applicant on the interview list. For one, it assumes that the applicant is busy, that the applicant is not obligated to attend the session, and that, at this point, the applicant has made no explicit or implied commitments to the company. Further, the applicant may very well be reviewing interview invitations and offers from several competing organizations.

Most important, the sample doesn’t adopt a demanding or patronizing tone, a rigidly established appointment time with no offered alternatives, or a confusing set of instructions that may cause an otherwise promising applicant to lose interest in the opportunity.

It’s also important to note that a candidate may reject an invitation that feels like part of an impersonal mass mailing. Applicants often walk away from positions that feel like a bait-and-switch or part of a scheme.

To demonstrate the appeal of your organization and the legitimacy of your position, keep your first interview letter warm, personal, enthusiastic, and flexible. Above all, demonstrate respect for the candidate’s time and talents, and make the next stages of the process as clear as possible.